Is Protesting Trump Just 'Cheap Altruism'?

Campaigners demonstrate outside the United States Embassy in London, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, holding placards and wearing Trump face masks as they protest ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S... (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

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Planning to participate in a protest of President Donald Trump? That may not actually be the most "ethical" choice, Corinne Purtill writes in Quartz. Participating in a general protest (as opposed to a protest of a specific policy) won't actually accomplish anything other than making you feel (incorrectly) as if you've achieved something, as one ethics professor explains to Purtill. "You're consuming cheap altruism," he says.

By participating in such a protest, Purtill explains, you might hurt your own interests in the long term thanks to "moral self-licensing." Since you feel as if you've done something good, you give yourself permission to do something not-so-good—for example, you might attend a protest but be lazy when it comes to participating in a political activity that could be more effective. Instead of protesting the mere fact Trump is president, "Save your energy and your time and use it when it really matters," the ethics expert says. Click for the full column, which includes a dissenting opinion. (Read more Donald Trump stories.)

You all and the electorial college voted him in now live with it. We won't have to wait long until he caves under the pressure or does something congress dissaproves of.

tran_tor

Jan 21, 2017 11:59 AM CST

Great article Evann. As with all the fanaticism and violence 'protesters' and the media have slathered over Trump, it's fairly vapid expression. Trump hadn't done anything up until yesterday _to_ protest about. The hypocrisy of Democrats of complaining about Trump but ignoring the many incredibly bad actions of Obama (abusive NSA, IRS on his political enemies; astronomical expansion of war; BigBusinessObamaCare, etc) shows the true colors of protesters. Political Party Flag Waver. Nothing more.

julianpenrod

Jan 20, 2017 8:54 PM CST

I've pointed out repeatedly that they are protesting, agitating and Trump hasn't done anything yet! They aren't protesting his actions, they are expressing venom toward the man himself. And that is hate. They are “protesting” actions they supposedly expect him to engage in before he has engaged in them. How many condemned that principle, calling it “profiling”?